“ClusterApp”: A Shiny R application to guide cluster studies based on GPS data

Abstract The rapid evolution of GPS devices, and therefore, collection of GPS data can be used to investigate a wide variety of topics in wildlife research. The combination of remotely collected GPS data with on‐the‐ground field investigations is a powerful tool for exploring behavioral ecology. “GP...

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Main Authors: Johanna Heeres, Aimee Tallian, Camilla Wikenros, Rick W. Heeres
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2024-07-01
Series:Ecology and Evolution
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.11695
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author Johanna Heeres
Aimee Tallian
Camilla Wikenros
Rick W. Heeres
author_facet Johanna Heeres
Aimee Tallian
Camilla Wikenros
Rick W. Heeres
author_sort Johanna Heeres
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The rapid evolution of GPS devices, and therefore, collection of GPS data can be used to investigate a wide variety of topics in wildlife research. The combination of remotely collected GPS data with on‐the‐ground field investigations is a powerful tool for exploring behavioral ecology. “GPS cluster studies” are aimed at pinpointing and investigating identified clusters in the field. Activity clusters can be based on various parameters (e.g., distance between GPS locations and the number of locations needed to establish a cluster), which are closely related to the set research questions. Variation in methods across years within the same study may result in data collection biases. Therefore, a streamlined method to parametrize, generate interactive maps, and extract activity cluster data using a predefined approach will limit biases, and make field work and data management straightforward for field technicians. We developed the “ClusterApp” Shiny application in the R software to facilitate a step‐by‐step guide to execute cluster analyses and data management of cluster studies on any species using GPS data. We illustrate the use of the “ClusterApp” with two location datasets constructed by data collected on brown bears (Ursus arctos) and gray wolves (Canis lupus).
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series Ecology and Evolution
spelling doaj-art-e02bc90c787a4ff89f2d308ee9e901ae2025-08-20T03:31:42ZengWileyEcology and Evolution2045-77582024-07-01147n/an/a10.1002/ece3.11695“ClusterApp”: A Shiny R application to guide cluster studies based on GPS dataJohanna Heeres0Aimee Tallian1Camilla Wikenros2Rick W. Heeres3Department of Ecology Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Riddarhyttan SwedenNorwegian Institute for Nature Research Trondheim NorwayDepartment of Ecology Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Riddarhyttan SwedenDepartment of Natural Sciences and Environmental Health University of South‐Eastern Norway Bø NorwayAbstract The rapid evolution of GPS devices, and therefore, collection of GPS data can be used to investigate a wide variety of topics in wildlife research. The combination of remotely collected GPS data with on‐the‐ground field investigations is a powerful tool for exploring behavioral ecology. “GPS cluster studies” are aimed at pinpointing and investigating identified clusters in the field. Activity clusters can be based on various parameters (e.g., distance between GPS locations and the number of locations needed to establish a cluster), which are closely related to the set research questions. Variation in methods across years within the same study may result in data collection biases. Therefore, a streamlined method to parametrize, generate interactive maps, and extract activity cluster data using a predefined approach will limit biases, and make field work and data management straightforward for field technicians. We developed the “ClusterApp” Shiny application in the R software to facilitate a step‐by‐step guide to execute cluster analyses and data management of cluster studies on any species using GPS data. We illustrate the use of the “ClusterApp” with two location datasets constructed by data collected on brown bears (Ursus arctos) and gray wolves (Canis lupus).https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.11695animal activitycluster analysisfieldworkmovement dataShiny application
spellingShingle Johanna Heeres
Aimee Tallian
Camilla Wikenros
Rick W. Heeres
“ClusterApp”: A Shiny R application to guide cluster studies based on GPS data
Ecology and Evolution
animal activity
cluster analysis
fieldwork
movement data
Shiny application
title “ClusterApp”: A Shiny R application to guide cluster studies based on GPS data
title_full “ClusterApp”: A Shiny R application to guide cluster studies based on GPS data
title_fullStr “ClusterApp”: A Shiny R application to guide cluster studies based on GPS data
title_full_unstemmed “ClusterApp”: A Shiny R application to guide cluster studies based on GPS data
title_short “ClusterApp”: A Shiny R application to guide cluster studies based on GPS data
title_sort clusterapp a shiny r application to guide cluster studies based on gps data
topic animal activity
cluster analysis
fieldwork
movement data
Shiny application
url https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.11695
work_keys_str_mv AT johannaheeres clusterappashinyrapplicationtoguideclusterstudiesbasedongpsdata
AT aimeetallian clusterappashinyrapplicationtoguideclusterstudiesbasedongpsdata
AT camillawikenros clusterappashinyrapplicationtoguideclusterstudiesbasedongpsdata
AT rickwheeres clusterappashinyrapplicationtoguideclusterstudiesbasedongpsdata